


Because Fandom Says So

by fireworksinthenight



Series: Because Fandom Says So [1]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: FandomSays, Gen, Humor, PotentiallyOOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-04 00:35:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16336382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireworksinthenight/pseuds/fireworksinthenight
Summary: Fandom says many things. Some are plausible, some are surprising, and a few are absurd. But all are fun to play with. Warning: implies that one or more characters could be OOC, depending on your headcanons.Prompt n°1: Leo Can't Stop TrainingPrompt n°2: Leo Breaks the Toaster





	1. Leo Can't Stop Training

**Author's Note:**

> A collection of oneshots prompted either by clichés or facts that blew out of proportion. This, of course, is merely my opinion and I respect every headcanon in this fandom. Be warned, I can make fun of things I respect.  
> I won’t hesitate to go against my own headcanons, hence the ‘out of character’ warning.  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own the turtles.  
> First prompt: Fandom Says… Leo Can’t Stop Training (And Will Stop at Nothing to Achieve This Noble Goal)  
> 2012 turtles.

"Leonardo!"

Donnie's roar echoed through the whole lair. In the living room, Raph and Mikey jumped, their video game forgotten. Mikey let go of his controller and hid between his brother's shell and the sofa.

"Not again," Raph sighed, exasperated. "That's what, the third time today?"

Mikey made a whimpering noise that Raph interpreted as a 'yes'.

"You're supposed to be bedridden!" Donnie was yelling from the dojo. "Not training! What if you worsen your injury?"

Leo's response was lost to Raph and Mikey.

"You could have thought that tying him up, locking his door _and_ gluing the lock would have kept him away from the dojo," Raph ranted. "The glue antidote was supposed to be in Donnie's lab! How did Leo manage to get away?"

Mikey made another whimpering noise.

"I know, I know, it's Leo, but still," Raph said, throwing up his arms. "I swear, the guy has magical powers!"

The red-clad turtle stood up, throwing his own controller on the floor. Mikey whined at losing his shield and grasped a cushion.

"Let's back Donnie up," Raph grumbled. "It's too bad Master Splinter won't be back before a few days, Leo would never have put any of this nonsense with Sensei in the lair!"

Ever so reluctantly, Mikey stood up too and followed his brother to the dojo. Donnie was still yelling at a not-so-sorry looking Leo, who was standing in the center of the room in a posture that favored his right leg.

"Leo, if you haven't decided to cooperate, I'll have to take even more drastic measures!" Donnie was saying.

"Donnie," Leo tried, "I'm feeling perfectly fine! I was just going through a few kata, nothing dangerous!"

"You. Should. Be. In. Bed!" Donnie shouted at the top of his voice, as if his point would get through his brother's thick skull if it was loud enough.

"Yeah, you really should, Leo," Raph interjected more calmly, placing himself at Donnie's right while Mikey took the left, not daring to look at Leo. "We understand your frustration, but you need to give your body time to heal!"

"You're one to talk," Leo replied flatly.

Raph let it slip. Like water over stone. Leo wasn't in his right mind anyways.

Donnie massaged his temples.

"Okay, guys," he finally said. "Let's get Leo back to his room."

"You're coming of your own free will or I carry you bridal-style?" Raph grinned at Leo.

Leo rolled his eyes.

"I'm coming," he grumbled.

Once in Leo's bedroom, the blue-clad turtle hopped to his bed and lay down sulkily.

"Do I have your word that you won't try to train again?" Donnie demanded of his blue-clad brother, his tone weary.

Leo shrugged noncommittally.

Donnie sighed.

"In that case… Raph, please search him for knives. Obviously Mikey forgot one or two last time."

"Hey!" Mikey protested.

Leo didn't resist and allowed his red-clad brother to retrieve three short blades from his wrappings.

"I'm tying you up again," Donnie warned. "More drastically. You've been warned."

And he was true to his word. When he was done, Leo looked more like a mummy than a turtle.

"Guys, this is ridiculous," Leo protested. "I can't even turn over! What if I need to move my leg?"

"You should have thought of that before," Donnie retorted. "And we'll free you for dinner, in not even an hour."

"Donnie, that's not like you to be so insensitive," Leo pleaded.

Donnie stopped dead in his tracks. Why did Leo have to make it so difficult? He was usually more reasonable. Maybe it was a side-effect of the painkillers he had given him. He would have to check the instructions.

… Was he too harsh on him? Leo's state didn't require constant monitoring, he just had to stay motionless for a while, and Donnie had tried to tie him up as comfortably as possible, he just didn't want his brother to worsen his injury, how could that be selfish of him? Of course Leo knew his own body, Donnie just wasn't sure that his judgement could be trusted right now, but what if it could and he, the improvised doctor, was making matters worse? And…

Raph shook his head.

"Oh no, you're not guilt-tripping Donnie when all he wants is to help you," he growled to Leo.

Bending over his brother, he slid his blue mask against his mouth, gagging him.

"There. Much better."

Leo looked daggers at him, but Raph merely grinned.

Donnie took a deep breath.

"Try to get some sleep, Leo," he pleaded. "Time will pass faster."

* * *

Mikey's senses were on alert as he picked Leo's lock. _Donnie's in the lab. Raph's watching TV. All clear._

The orange-clad turtle couldn't bear the idea of Leo being alone and tied up inside. He had to take a look at him and tell him that everything was going to be alright, that it was for his own good and it would soon be over, and Mikey was here for him and would order him his favorite pizzas, no problem…

The lock yielded. _At least this time Donnie didn't glue it,_ Mikey thought somberly. He didn't want to sneak in his brother's lab again while Donnie was inside. Last time had been a close one.

Opening the door, the short turtle entered quickly before closing it behind him.

"Leo?" He whispered.

Leo didn't answer. _That's right, he's gagged,_ Mikey remembered.

"I'm here, bro," he whispered, putting a hand on his brother's plastron. "I'm sorry about this, but we don't want you to aggravate your injury, do we?"

Leo narrowed his eyes at him. Mikey could only guess what he wanted to say. Suddenly, he was grateful that Leo couldn't speak. Last time, his brother had convinced Mikey to free him in no time, telling him that the mind was more important than the body and he would never be able to heal if he wasn't able to train, and Leo's voice had sounded so reasonable, so reassuring…

"It's okay, Leo," Mikey said, patting his brother's shell awkwardly because of the absurdity of this sentence – Leo was tied up and gagged and it was his brothers' fault, how could it be okay?

Leo's eyes shifted shapes and Mikey's widened. _Oh no. Not that, please._

His prayer went unanswered.

Mikey fidgeted, panicking. His three brothers agreed that his puppy-dog eyes were the best, the cutest, the most impossible to resist. He wouldn't know – he had tried to puppy-dog eye himself in front of the bathroom's mirror, but it had only given him a headache.

If he had been asked, Mikey would have said that _Leo's_ puppy-dog eyes were the best. Maybe it was because he almost never used them on his brothers – actually, Mikey wasn't sure that Leo had ever used them on someone else than him, and Splinter, but at least Splinter was immune most of the time… Or maybe it was because it was impossible to deny him anything when he looked so innocent, so _vulnerable_ … He was always so careful not to show any weakness…

"Leo, really, I shouldn't…" Mikey whispered weakly. "You heard what Donnie said…"

If it was possible, Mikey would have sworn that Leo's eyes had become more pleading.

"The guys will get suspicious," Mikey tried again, his throat hoarse. "You're completely tied up! Last time, you could still pretend to have a hidden knife, but now…"

A single tear escaped Leo's right eye. It trickled down his cheek and was soaked up by his blue mask. Mikey's heart stopped.

Before he had registered it, he was kneeling next to his brother's bed and untying the knots with shaking hands.

"You're not playing fair, Leo," Mikey whispered with a hint of reproach in his voice.

As soon as his arms were free, Leo untied the mask that Raph had used as a gag and put it back in its right place.

"I'm a ninja," he replied. "Ninja use every weapon in their arsenal to reach their goal. You know that."

Leo's eyes were shining with mischief and the orange-clad turtle resisted the urge to smack him, like Raph did to him when he was particularly annoying. Leo grinned at his brother, his expression all innocence once more, and Mikey sighed in defeat.

"Just don't injure yourself further," he whispered. "Please."

Leo sat on his bed.

"I won't," he whispered back. "I know what I'm doing."

"That's not what Donnie yelled."

"He worries too much," Leo retorted. "You should go back to the living room. I'll try another escape in a few minutes."

Mikey nodded and turned around, shoulders slumped.

Maybe he should tell Donnie that it was useless to bind Leo if he didn't blindfold him, too.

He heard movement behind him, and strong arms embraced his shell.

"And thanks, Mikey," Leo whispered, nuzzling his neck. "What would I do without you?"

Or rather not.


	2. Leo Breaks The Toaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _So, just in case it wasn't obvious: this fic doesn't take itself seriously. This author doesn't take themselves seriously. You've been warned._
> 
> _Prompt n°2: Fandom Says… Leo Breaks The Toaster (Because This Ninja Can't Handle Kitchen Appliances)_
> 
>   _...Why, Fandom, why?_  
>  _Fandom says…_  
>  _Okay, okay. There it is, then! The Toaster Oneshot._  
>  _2012 turtles._

A distinctive smell of burned bread invaded the kitchen. The toaster moaned, whistled, and finally stood still.

Leo bit back a curse. What was happening to him? He had done exactly the same as Raph and Mikey, put his neatly cut slices of bread in the toaster and pushed the on/off button, like he had done hundreds of times before, but today – like yesterday and the day before – it hadn't worked.

As he unplugged the reluctant kitchen appliance, Leo wondered how he was going to explain that to Donnie. His purple-clad brother had insisted on him being extra careful with the delicate toaster last time he had repaired it.

What was wrong with him? He could handle all kinds of knives and blades with no problem, pick locks, skateboard through sewer tunnels, but apparently he had lost the skill to use a mere _toaster_?

As if to make his day worse, Master Splinter chose this moment to enter the kitchen in order to refill his teapot.

"Leonardo? What is the matter, my son?" The giant rat asked, whiskers twitching because of the unpleasant smell.

"Hi, Sensei," Leo answered sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I… uh…"

"Leo broke the toaster. Again," Raph helpfully and happily supplied between two mouthfuls of his perfectly toasted breakfast.

Leo blushed and bowed his head in shame, while Donnie came inside, tying up his purple mask with a yawn. His sleepy expression sharpened at the sight in front of him.

"Leo! Please tell me you didn't break the poor thing again!"

Leo fidgeted.

"Donnie, I'm sorry, I don't know what happened! I did exactly the same as Raph and Mikey!"

Donnie threw up his arms.

"Obviously you didn't," he retorted hotly. "And guess who will clean up your mess?"

"Donnie, I'm really sorry," Leo muttered.

"Leonardo, you know we can't afford to waste food," Splinter scolded him half-heartedly because his son already looked very subdued.

The blue-clad turtle sat down sadly.

"I know. I don't understand what has gotten into me," Leo whispered.

Mikey put a soothing and sticking-with-jam hand on his brother's shoulder.

"We still have some cereals, bro," he offered.

Donnie glared at Leo and brought the toaster to his lab with careful, gentle gestures. Leo sighed.

* * *

A week later, Leo's relationship with the toaster hadn't got any better. No matter how carefully he used the toaster, it always ended up broken. He was now officially banned from using this kitchen appliance, which hadn't prevented the cursed thing to almost blow up in his mere presence – at least that's what Leo pretended.

Raph and Mikey found it immensely funny, while Donnie was complaining that if he had to repair the thing one more time, he would blast it himself.

Splinter couldn't decide if his blue-clad son was telling the truth or if he had tried once again to use the toaster. In doubt, he had settled for replacing some of Leo's TV time with meditation in order to help his son focus better.

The ninja master merely hoped that Donatello wouldn't follow through with his threat.

* * *

Mikey was sympathizing with Donnie. The genius was already doing so much for them, he could understand that he was getting tired of repairing that toaster again and again.

After the last debacle, Raph had offered to take Leo for a run in the sewers – after he had rolled on the floor laughing for a good five minutes, that is. Leo definitely looked like he needed to unwind.

Mikey decided to check on Donnie. For a change, he didn't jump inside his brother's lab but entered it with extreme caution, careful not to make any noise, so he could leave if it looked like the genius didn't want company.

The sight that greeted him was puzzling.

In front of his desk where an opened toaster lay, Donnie, screwdriver in hand, was cackling with glee.

"Donnie?"

Said brother jumped.

"Mikey! I told you to always knock! You don't know what I could be doing!"

"That's for sure, bro. I thought you hated repairing that thing!"

Donnie coughed, embarrassed. He hadn't wanted to share his secret with Mikey, but what was the point of being a criminal mastermind if you couldn't boast? Besides, if his brother couldn't be trusted with nice things, he could definitely be trusted with secrets.

"I'm not merely repairing it, Mikey," Donnie whispered confidentially. "I'm tinkering with it. Powering it up. Adding cameras and motion sensors…"

Donnie winked at Mikey, who looked at him with perplexity.

"Why would a toaster need cameras and motion sensors?"

"So it can react if a particular turtle comes close to it…" Donnie said, emphasizing his words with more blinks.

Mikey tilted his head.

"It's a toaster, Donnie," he said softly. "It doesn't care who comes close to it, you know?"

Donnie shook his head, irritated.

"Really? Haven't you noticed anything at all?"

Mikey frowned, and then there was light.

"Dude… you… trapped it? So it would react to Leo?"

Donnie nodded with pride.

"Wow, dude, this is the best prank ever!" Mikey said enthusiastically. "But aren't you afraid he'll find out?"

"Mikey, I'm the one repairing it every single time," Donnie chuckled. "I'm above all suspicion."

"Wow. But… why?"

Donnie pointed an accusative finger at Mikey.

"He made fun of me. During training."

Mikey blinked.

"That's it? But Raph makes fun of you all the time!"

"Exactly. It's to be expected. Leo, however, is supposed to know better."

"Dude, remind me never to get on your bad side," Mikey said, in awe.

* * *

"Hey, Leo, stop brooding over," Raph said, nudging his brother. "So what if you can't handle a toaster? We all have our weaknesses."

Raph's supporting words were somewhat ruined by his huge grin, and Leo glared at him.

"Raph, it's not funny!" Leo exclaimed, exasperated. "I don't know what's wrong with me!"

"Oh, it _is_ funny, Leo, I assure you. Except maybe for you… and Donnie…"

Leo sighed.

"Let's just tell Donnie about the collapsed tunnel, okay? See if we need to interfere."

As the two brothers came back into the lair, much earlier than they had intended to, they heard laughter coming from the lab.

Raph raised an eye ridge.

"Forget about what I just said. Apparently, it's funny for Donnie too."

Leo narrowed his eyes and glanced at his sibling. Both nodded and came silently closer to the lab door in order to spy on the ongoing conversation.

Raph's eyes widened as he understood what it was all about. Glancing at Leo, he saw his brother's features switch from disbelief to shocked realization, then to sheer fury. He grinned and took a careful step back as his brother slowly slid the lab door open and advanced towards Donnie.

"Hello, brother," Leo said very slowly, very calmly, very _threateningly_ as he pressed his hands down on Donnie's desk. "I think we need to talk."

Donnie gulped. This couldn't be good.

* * *

In the dojo, Splinter let out a deep breath at the sounds of chasing and crashes. Why couldn't Michelangelo stop teasing Raphael? Why couldn't Raphael let it slip for once? All he, Splinter, wanted was some peace and quiet. Was it too much to ask for?

"I'm going to crush you!" The unmistakable voice of his blue-clad son shouted.

"Leo, no! I'm sorry!" Donatello's panicked voice answered.

Splinter's eyes popped open. He hadn't expected these two to cause the rampage. If it had been an explosion, then of course he would have suspected Donnie, but that… Although he had a sneaky suspicion Leo's sudden inability to handle a certain kitchen appliance had just been explained…

He heard another crash.

"How could you, Donnie? I trusted you!"

"I'm sorryyyyyy! It was so much fun, but I'm really regretting it now! Have mercyyyy!"

_Bump. Crash._

"Come back here, you traitor! I'm not done with you!"

"Oooh, nice move, Leo!" Raphael said. From what Splinter heard, the red-clad turtle was enjoying this far too much. "I'll definitely have to try it one day!"

Splinter hid his head in his hands, sighing. He could see a lesson on the inanity of vengeance and the importance of forgiveness in his sons' near future, after a thorough refurbishment of the living room.

Oh well…

At least he wouldn't be afraid anymore that Leonardo set the lair on fire.


End file.
